Most boat or vessel owners leave their boat, yacht or vessel unattended and unmonitored for significant periods of time while docked or moored. During these time periods, a number of things may happen (e.g., equipment/line failure, faulty through-hull fittings, etc.) that may damage the boat or cause it to sink. Statistics show that for every one boat that sinks at sea, four boats sink at the dock or mooring. The costs to repair a boat that has been under water, even briefly, can be significant. In such situations, the owner of a boat must pay for the repairs not covered by insurance and is deprived of using his or her boat until the boat is repaired.
Moreover, boat owners know these risks are present and are generally concerned about their unattended or unmonitored boats. Some boat owners have people check their boats. However, there is no coordinated system for checking boats, checking certain components of the boat and for regularly reporting the status of the boats to the boat owners. Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient and timely monitoring system that enables vessel owners to monitor their vessels when they are unable or unavailable to do so themselves.